Penn National breaks ground on Plainville 'racino'

Saturday

Mar 15, 2014 at 12:01 AM

By Heather Gillis Harris

Daily News StaffPLAINVILLE - Penn National Gaming Inc. on Friday officially broke ground at the Plainridge Racecourse harness track on what will be the state's one and only slots parlor."We’re tremendously excited," said Jay Snowden, chief operating officer of Penn National Gaming. "This is a monumental day for us."The groundbreaking took place almost two weeks to the day since the state gaming commission awarded Penn National the state’s first, and only, slots parlor license. The gaming company beat out competitors Cordish Cos., which had eyed a site in Leominster, and Raynham Park for the coveted license.Ed McFarland, head of the Plainville Redevelopment Authority, said at first he was leery of a "racino" coming to town, but changed his mind as he watched the negotiation process and the professionalism of developer Penn National Gaming.McFarland said his confidence grew in the developer when he learned it already operated 16 other sites across the country and is a publicly traded company.The Plainridge Park Casino plan proposed by Penn National is a $225 million investment that will include a 106,000-square-foot facility on a 90-acre parcel.State Sen. Richard Ross, R-Wrentham, said he couldn't be more pleased with the prospect of the racino. He's been arguing in favor of such a development for about 10 years, he said, pointing out that the state has lost out on revenue going to the gaming facilities in Rhode Island and Connecticut.He said Plainville made the most sense for the license, noting the location right off I-495, and the close proximity to other destination points, with the Wrentham Village Premium Outlets and Gillette Stadium and Patriot Place nearby."It's wonderful to see it finally come to fruition," said Ross.Touching on the difficulties that beset Plainridge when former president Gary Pionkowski exited last year amid charges of mishandling the track's money, he added, "I would have never believed that Plainridge would be the first one in the state to win the license for gaming.""I think we're ending up with absolutely the best character to run this facility than we could have hoped for," Ross said of Penn National.The project, he said, is "going to stimulate the whole economy down in this region."As part of the host community agreement between Penn National and Plainville, the town stands to earn an estimated $2.7 million from the deal. That doesn’t include another $1.5 million that will come from property and excise taxes, according to Town Administrator Joseph Fernandes.Another benefit, Fernandes said, is the anticipated 1,000 construction jobs and 500 permanent jobs the project will yield.Snowden said while the groundbreaking is exciting for his company, he imagines it is just as exciting for the 100 employees currently working at the track, elected officials, the horse farmers and the Plainville community."We are looking forward to being part of the community fabric," Snowden said.Ross credited local officials and area legislators for their work toward making the racino happen in spite of the odds."They never let hope die," he said. "They're the little train that could."Doors are expected to open to the new casino in spring 2015, Fernandes said.Staff writer Heather McCarron contributed to this report. Heather Gillis Harris can be reached at hharris@wickedlocal.com. Follow her on Twitter @heatherharrisWL.